Cola I
Cola is a type of soda that consists of flavors derived from citrus fruits and spices. The word "cola" derives from kola nuts, a plant originating in West Africa. Older cola recipes often contained this nut as a source of caffeine, but most modern recipes do not contain kola nuts. This recipe has be
Ingredients
- ½ ea. lemon, peel removed
- ½ ea. orange, peel removed
- 14 dried makrut lime leaves
- 25 mg caffeine (optional)
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) powdered cinnamon
- 1 tsp (5 ml) powdered nutmeg
- 1 tsp (5 ml) coriander seed
- 5 tbsp (75 ml) water
- 1 cup (240 ml) water
- 5 tsp (25 ml) strained fresh lime juice
- ½ tsp (2.5 ml) finely powdered citric acid
- ¼ cup (60 ml) white sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) white sugar
- Carbonated water, as needed
Instructions
- Chop the lemon and orange peels into small pieces.
- Combine the peels, lime leaves, caffeine, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, and 5 tbsp (75 ml) water in a mortar. Use the pestle to crush and grind everything together, ensuring that everything is well-blended to extract the flavors.
- Transfer the ground mixture to a saucepan. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat.
- Strain the mixture, then combine it with the 1 cup water, lime juice, and citric acid. Set aside.
- Transfer the ¼ cup (60 ml) sugar into a heavy saucepan. Carefully melt it over medium heat, making sure the entire mixture heats evenly and doesn't burn. Cook the sugar until caramelized.
- Carefully stir the citrus mixture into the caramelized sugar, watching out for splatters, until it is homogenized.
- Stir in the 1 cup (240 ml) sugar, and boil until it becomes a viscous and honey-like syrup of approximately 1¼ cup (300 ml) in volume. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- To make the finished soda, combine 1 volume of syrup with 5 volumes of carbonated water.